True Life Mates
by kim-loves-kurama
Summary: Nikki was a quiet girl. She didn't like to talk to anybody after loosing her best friend. But when she finds a wounded wolf, Kiba, and cares for him she finds her once lonely hurting soul revive. She falls madly in love with him and would do anything to p
1. The White Wolf

Chapter 1: The White Wolf

"Mukluk!" Nikki called. "Here Mukluk." Niki Hanson was searching for her German Shepherd, Mukluk. He had, once again, disappeared. It was about six o' clock in the morning when Niki jumped over the gate that led to the heifer lot. She went on calling Mukluk's name. She received no answer from her dog. "That damn mutt!" She growled as she kicked the dirt. "It's too damn early for this!" Nikki decided to give up her search. "Mukluk's gone to the Grover's again. He just can't resist that female Siberian Husky dog."

Nikki continued to walk around in the lot. She carried a .22 in her hands just in case she met up with the bull. She wasn't of course going to shoot the ornery animal. He was scared stiff of the scent of gunpowder and it kept him far away, but if there was a heifer in heat, Lord only knew what that bull would do.

Nikki smiled as her favorite cow, Milkshake, came to greet her. Unlike the bull, Milkshake was very friendly and didn't mind the scent of gunpowder. She had never been struck with a bullet before so she didn't have reason to fear it like he did. "Hey there old girl!" Nikki exclaimed. "What are you up to?"

Milkshake nudged Nikki's back pocket. Niki laughed and took out a sugar cube. She gave it to the old cow and continued on her way. She hadn't gone five feet when Milkshake nudged her again. "Oh Milkshake! You'll run me out of cubes if you keep this stunt of yours up."

Milkshake just let out a sorrowful moo. Nikki rolled her eyes and gave Milkshake another piece of sugar. She lapped it up with her long tongue. Then, Milkshake turned around and went back to the other cows to eat the round bale that had been put in the feeder about an hour ago. "Yeah, you better leave!" Nikki laughed. She continued to walk deeper into the lot.

Nikki was sixteen-years-old. She got average grades in school and was a pretty good artist, when it came to drawing and painting, she was the best in the entire school (even better than Ms. Board, her old, crabby, can't draw diddly-shit, art teacher). Nikki was about 5 foot 4 inches and weighed 110 lbs. She had short black hair with bright blue streaks in it. Many of the people at school had thought she was pretty and the guys nearly drooled when she walked by. Nikki, however, didn't give a rat's ass what anyone thought about her. She was a loner and was very quiet at her school. Ever since her best friend, Emily, had been killed in the car accident last year, Nikki had stopped talking to everyone. She even stopped talking to Jeff, her other best friend and once boyfriend. Now, she sat in the back of the class and would only talk when the teacher called on her to answer a question.

Suddenly, a wolf's howl pierced the silence in the lot. All the cows snorted and backed away from the feeder and towards the barn. Nikki, however, was fascinated with wolves. She loved the stories her grandmother had told her about the wolves. Her grandmother had passed down those ancient stories ever since her grandmother had told it to her. The wolves were said to be extinct for over 200 years and Nikki's great-great-grandmother had been alive when the very last wolf had been shot.

Now, hearing that howl brought Nikki's heart into her throat. "It sounds like it's in pain," Nikki thought. She only knew what a wolf's howl was like because her grandmother had howled like one and had taught Nikki how to howl as well. Nikki raised her head to the sky and tried her hardest to mimic the voice that had a few seconds ago erupted out of the forest and into the morning sky.

When her voice slowly died away into the forest, Nikki listened. She got an answer from the wolf. Nikki, without thinking, dropped her gun and began to run towards the huge forest that was at the very end of the heifer lot. She easily slipped through the barbed wire fence and ran into the woods.

Nikki's feet turned into a blur as she ran towards the animal. She dodged the trees and sticks with so much ease it almost made her look like the wind blowing into the forest and being cut in half as the trees forced it apart. She came to a large river. She backed up a few steps and charged at the mighty current. Nikki cleared it easily.

When she landed on the other side, Nikki raised her head to the pine tree's towering top and howled. She got a reply and ran towards it. She finally came to a clearing in the forest. What she saw shocked her.

A white wolf lay in the small meadow. It's body looked like a bloody mess. It laid in it's own red pool and the huge wounds on it's body kept adding to this blood puddle. Nikki cautiously took a step towards the wolf. "Are you okay?" She asked, thinking what a fool she was to be talking to an animal. The creature didn't reply but let out a small whine. Nikki's mother was a vet so she knew that her mom might be able to help the creature. "But how the hell am I going to get it to mom?" She thought.

Nikki started to walk towards the helpless creature. When she got to it, she began to stroke its blood stained fur. "It's all right," she said quietly. "You'll be okay."

The wolf whined again. "It's hurt badly and is slipping into unconsciousness," Nikki thought. She very, very carefully lifted up the wolf's leg to check its gender. "Well, you're a guy I guess," she said absent-mindedly.

Nikki took off her bandana and wrapped it around the wolf's neck and applied pressure to the gushing wound by using her knees. Then she grabbed her barn shirt and ripped off a piece of it. She tied the wolf's leg up, where another wound lay. She continued to rip the worthless shirt into bits and dress the wolf's wounds. All the while talking to him softly.

Nikki decided that her mother and father could never find out. Her father hated wolves, "They deserved to be destroyed off the planet. Killing cattle and humans whenever they felt like it." Her mother liked wolves but she wouldn't nurse it for fear of getting caught for helping the creature. She would say something like, "Lord knows what the nobles would do to us if they found out we were helping a wolf." Nikki certainly couldn't tell her older brother and sister. They wouldn't understand. Her sister hated animals and said that they were good for nothing but fur coats. Her brother would trade in the wolf for some reward money and wouldn't have cared if the nobles tortured it and killed it.

Nikki looked at the wolf. She felt a strange bond between the two. Somehow, she felt like this animal was connected to her in a way. She looked around for a place to hide the creature while it got better. She knew just the place.

Nikki tried to lift the creature but found out that it was useless. She tried again. No luck. Nikki was getting tired of this. She put her hay bale lifting arms under the wolf and lifted him up off the ground. She gasped, "This thing weighs more than a fat bull calf does." She swung it carefully onto her shoulder and made her way to her playhouse in the forest.

When Nikki had been younger she had asked her dad to build a playhouse. He had done so for Nikki's birthday. Emily and Niki would then play with their model horses and spend summer nights in that house. When Emily had been killed, Nikki didn't return to the playhouse. It brought back too many horrible memories. But now, she had no choice.

Nikki reached the small hut and opened the door. It was just how she remembered. There was a large couch and a beanbag chair in the corner. In the very center of the hut were four loose floorboards, where Nikki and Emily had stored their prized possessions and diaries.

Tears welled up in Nikki's eyes but she pushed them away and gently lay the heavy wolf down on the couch that had once belonged to her best fried. She stroked the wolf gently pondering what she should do.

"I good go home and get some gauze and ointment from my mom's office," she thought. "But I don't want to leave it all alone." Then she thought, "Or I could wait until it woke up and then go home and grab my clothes and stay the night here." She shook her head. "No," she sighed. "That wouldn't do." Nikki decided to go home and tell her mom and dad that she was going on a horseback riding trip and would be gone for the night (her parents were used to Nikki's camping trips with her horse Midnight Sky). She got to her feet and gave the hurting wolf a final glance before walking out the door, towards her own home.


	2. Home Sweet Home

Chapter 2: Home Sweet Home

Nikki ran towards her house. She slipped under the barbed wire and started to run through the lot. About half way into the lot she noticed her gun on the ground. She snatched it up and continued to run towards her house.

When she burst through the front door her mother gave her a shocked look. "Nikki," she yelled. "What on earth…? Why are you covered in blood?"

Nikki looked at her under shirt, which was now covered in wolf's blood. "I… uh… found a wounded deer and tried to help it," she lied. "But when I tried to bandage a wound it kicked me in the leg and I fell in a puddle of blood and… Mom! The beans are overflowing out of the pot!" She pointed to the stove.

Her mother gasped and turned around. "Wait a minute… Nikki!" When she turned back to where Nikki had been standing she didn't find her daughter there.

Nikki was already half way up the stairs when her mother shouted her name. She flew up the rest of the stairs and slammed the door of her room shut. Panting, Nikki threw off her bloody shirt and grabbed a clean one. She put it on and looked around for her duffle bag. She got on her hands and knees and crawled under her bed where most of her junk lay to collect dust. Nikki grabbed the blue strap of the bag and yanked it out of its dark prison.

"Well… Time to pack and be on my way," Nikki told herself. Then she grabbed another shirt and threw it into the bag. She grabbed some shorts and her brush. Then she took a flashlight and the rest of her camping gear. She flung the bag over her shoulder and sprinted down the stairs.

"I'm going on an all night camping trip with Midnight Star," Nikki yelled grabbing two apples from the counter.

Nikki's mother rolled her eyes. "It's fine with me but tell your father first," she said.

Nikki nodded her head and grabbed two backs of hot dogs out of the fridge. She also grabbed some ham and roast beef. She quickly shoved it into her bag so her mother wouldn't see the stolen meat. "That wolf's going to be hungry," she thought quietly to herself.

"Love you mom!" Nikki yelled as she ran out the door.

She sped down to the stable. Throwing her duffle bag down on the ground, Nikki ran to Midnight Sky's stall. "Hey girl!" Nikki gasped. She was tired from all the running and needed a rest. She unlatched the stall door and slowly opened it. She stepped inside and was greeted by the black mare. Nikki gave Midnight Sky the apple she held in her hand (the other one was hidden in her bag). Midnight Sky took it out of Nikki's hand. Nikki laughed and grabbed the lead rope off the side of the stall. She firmly grasped Midnight Sky's halter and hooked the lead rope onto the bottom loop.

Nikki then led Midnight Star outside. She tied her up to the paddock fence and ran to the Tack Room to get the saddle and bridle. She walked back to Midnight Sky and tacked her up. Then she grabbed her duffle bag and some baler twine. Then she tied the straps of the duffle bag firmly to the seat of the saddle. She was just about to mount Midnight Sky when a thought hit her in the face.

"Oh shit! I forgot the gauze and ointment!" Nikki galloped back to the house and nearly fell when she swerved around the corner of the hall to her mom's veterinarian office. She grabbed tons of bandages and some antibiotic cream. She smiled and ran out of the office.

"Hold it right there!" Nikki jumped and spun around to face her mother. "What are you doing with all my vet's gear?"

"Uh… just in case something bad happens I'm prepared," Nikki lied again. Lying had come so easily to her. When Emily had been killed, everyone had asked her how she was taking it and she lied to them all by saying she was fine. She had easily picked up the habit that way.

Nikki's mother gave her another quizzing look and went back to working on her computer. Nikki let out a relieved sigh. She was about to continue on her way out the door when her mother stopped her again. "Did you talk to your father?" She asked.

"Aw mom! He knows that I'll be okay," Nikki replied.

"In other words no?"

"Uh…"

Nikki's mother sighed. "Nikki just let your father know where you'll be."

Nikki nodded and ran out the door before her mother could say anything else. She stopped running and walked up quietly to Midnight Sky. "Well… that was close," she said to herself.

She opened up the saddlebag and put all the medical stuff into it's opened, leather flap. She closed the bag and hooked it securely. She stuck her foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over into the seat of the saddle. She clicked with her tongue and gently kicked Midnight Sky in the sides. The mare started to trot towards the barn where Nikki's father was working.

"Hey dad!" Nikki called.

He looked at Nikki and shook his head. "Girl, if you keep riding that horse you'll forget how to walk and your legs will shrivel up," he laughed.

Nikki smiled. "I couldn't find Mukluk. I think he took off for the Grover's and their bitch, Aurora."

Nikki's father walked up to her and patted Midnight Sky's cheek. She nickered happily and tossed her head. "Well… I can see you're going on a trip. Have fun and be careful."

"I will pa!" She exclaimed. "See you tomorrow morning."

She clicked her tongue and tapped Midnight Sky's neck with one end of the reins. She kicked her in the sides and off they went. "You be careful now! You hear!" Nikki heard her father yell.

"I will! Bye pa!" Nikki kicked Midnight Sky harder in the sides and sent her into a faster trot.

When they got to the heifer gate, Nikki dismounted her horse and opened the gate. She grabbed the cheek strap of the bridle and pulled on it. Midnight Sky nickered and walked into the lot. Nikki smiled and locked the gate firmly. She mounted her horse and they galloped across the huge pasture. They didn't have to worry about the bull because he, like all the other cattle, was resting in the shade.

As the two neared the barbed wired fence Nikki kicked Midnight Sky harder. She rose out of her seat and clicked her tongue. "You can do it!" She yelled. Midnight Sky nickered and was almost to the edge of the paddock. Nikki smiled and leaned forward. She put all her weight in the front of the saddle and Midnight Sky cleared the fence. In the few seconds of the two soaring throw the air, Nikki almost felt like she was flying. She had loved this feeling ever since Emily had taught her how to jump. She loved this feeling and wished that Emily was alive to see her and Midnight Sky now.

Midnight Sky's front hooves slammed onto the ground and her back legs soon joined them. Nikki was giggling and gently patted Midnight Sky's neck. "Good girl!" She praised.

Then she dismounted and led Midnight Sky through the trees and to the horseback-riding trail. It was a worn out path that looked like a small snake as it curved and swerved past trees through the forest. Emily and Nikki used to go on this trail all the time. They would have a blast on the trail and would laugh and giggle as they joked around with each other about the boys at the school and which one was cutest or most hot. The trail led right to the playhouse.

Nikki followed the path for a couple of minutes and soon came to the small playhouse. She dismounted Midnight Sky and led her to a tree. She tied her up and undid the knot that held her duffle bag to the saddle. She grabbed the bag and took all the bandages and cream out of the saddlebag. She walked inside the hut expecting to find a wolf. Instead when she walked inside… she found a man.


	3. The Promise

Chapter 3: The Promise

Nikki saw the man sitting on the couch. He was exactly where the wolf should've been. His wounds were the exact same as the wolf's and Nikki's shirt was still tightly wrapped around a major wound. She dropped her mouth, as well as all the gauze and ointment, and asked shakily"W-Who are y-you"

The man had piercing blue eyes that gazed right into Nikki's soft brown ones. He had shaggy brown hair and wore tight jeans. Sneakers covered his feet and to complete the rebel look, he had a jacket on over his undershirt.

He did not answer her question but tried to stand up. Nikki gasped and ran to help him. Just as she was taking a step forward, the heel of her riding boot rolled right off the ointment bottle. Causing, poor Nikki, to tumble to the ground in a heap.

"Ouch" she cried. She examined her elbow carefully. "That's gonna leave a bruise." She got to her feet and began to pick up the medicines before some more got stepped on.

"So... You never answered my question" Nikki said quietly, bringing her eyes up for just a second to look at the man. When he didn't answer, Nikki shook her head and stood up from her crouching position. "Well... if you're not going to answer me then get out"

The man looked up at the girl in confusion. She was strict and stern. He decided to answer her question because he obviously wasn't strong enough yet to leave. "My name's Kiba" he answered looking down at the floorboards of the playhouse.

Nikki looked at Kiba with interest. Her trick to get him to talk had worked. She smiled"Where did the white wolf go" she asked.

Kiba's eyes went wide. He looked at her in shock. "Y-Y-You saw me"

Nikki raised an eyebrow at him. "You" She began to laugh. "Yeah right! You weren't that wolf."

Kiba gazed at Nikki and found himself lost in her beauty. Even though she was wearing baggy pants and a shirt with a horse on it (Nikki wasn't the type to wear skirts and high heels) Kiba was lost in her outer appearance and continued to stare at her chest.

Nikki noticed this and became annoyed. "Hello" She shouted waving her hand in front of Kiba's face. "I'm up here"

Kiba turned red and muttered sheepishly"I notice that you had a horse on your shirt and I was just admiring the design."

Nikki rolled her eyes. "He's a pathetic liar" she thought quietly to herself.

Kiba suddenly jerked his head up to look at Nikki. "And who are you" He asked.

Nikki smiled. "My name's Nicole Hanson but you can call me Nikki" she replied.

Kiba returned the smile. "I like your name, Nikki."

Nikki felt herself blush. "Um... thanks. Uh... oh yes! Your wound"

Nikki ran up to Kiba and ordered him to remove his shirt. Kiba looked at her in suspicion but obeyed. Once the shirt had been removed, Nikki began to remove the shredded remains of her once barn shirt and then applied the cold cream in the ointment bottle to Kiba's wound. He winced a bit but remained silent. When the disinfectant cream had all been rubbed onto the wounds, Nikki took a hold of some bandages. She carefully dressed the rest of the wound and sat back to admire her work.

"There! All done" she sighed happily. For some reason, Nikki kept staring at Kiba's uncovered chest. His arms had good-sized muscles on them and he had an amazing pack. Nikki gulped and continued to stare.

Kiba smiled and said quietly"I'm up here."

Nikki came out of her daze and looked at him shyly. She felt her cheeks flush red and she cursed at herself for falling for this stranger. "I was just looking at the wound" she lied.

Kiba rolled his eyes at her weak attempt to fool him. He then tried to stand up but Nikki gently eased him into a lying position on the couch. Kiba felt the softness of her hands and trembled with their touch.

Nikki then walked outside. Kiba looked around at the playhouse. The walls had pictures of two girls smiling and laughing. Kiba noticed one of them looked like a small version of Nikki and the other one had bright blonde hair. Kiba stared at the pictures and was deep in thought of who the blonde girl was.

Nikki came back inside with a saddle in both of her hands. It was then that Kiba noticed how strong her arms were. She had big muscles for a girl her age and she didn't seemed fazed at all by the heavy leather she was carrying.

Nikki gently set her saddle in a corner. She untied the baler twine and removed the large duffle bag from the seat of the saddle. She then stood up and looked over at Kiba. "So you're a wolf" she asked.

Kiba nodded. Nikki smiled at him. "Well that's good. I didn't want to tend to a human so why not tend to a wolf"

Kiba looked at her in confusion. "But aren't you going to tell someone about me" he asked quickly.

"Nope" Nikki said. "Why would I? Just to earn a couple of dollars? I don't think a life is worth money. No... losing a life effects everyone and everything around you, and no amount of money can ever buy the hurt back." Tears came into Nikki's eyes as she gazed at the pictures of her and Emily. She quickly brushed the tears away with the back of her hand.

Kiba noticed the tears and looked at the picture. He was tempted to ask who the blonde haired girl was but kept his mouth shut for fear of hurting Nikki's feelings. He decided to change the subject. "Did you see any other wolves with me"

Nikki looked right into his eyes. Kiba noticed the obvious red tint in them. And Kiba noted how Nikki had reacted to the tears by trying aimlessly to wipe them away.

"No I didn't" she sighed. "I'm sorry."

Kiba looked out the small window of the playhouse. "I have to go and find my friends" he said longing to be out running through the trees howling and listening for their answers. Especially Cheza's.

Nikki shook her head. "No, not with those wounds you won't."

"But" Kiba started to say but Nikki cut him off.

"I said no! I'm not going to let you get hurt" she shouted. She hadn't meant to shout it had just sort of come out that way. Nikki kept thinking of how much more hurt she would feel if Kiba died because of her. Just like Emily had.

Kiba noticed the tone of her voice and looked at his shoes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to anger you" he apologized. "It's just... my friends might need my help. If they're not already dead that is."

Nikki stared at him. "No. I'm sorry Kiba. I shouldn't have raised my voice like I did. It's just that... never mind. You wouldn't understand."

With that Nikki opened up her duffle bag and took out a book. She turned to a crease in one of the pages and began reading. Kiba looked at her in confusion. "What does she mean 'You wouldn't understand?'" He thought quietly to himself.

"You should rest now," Nikki said quietly. She didn't look up from her book, however.

Kiba was tired but could he really trust this girl? Nikki seemed very kind, gentle, and caring but could he trust her?

He decided that he had no one else to help him so he let his head sit on the armrest of the couch. In a few minutes he was fast asleep.

Nikki looked up from her book, The Last Howl, and stared at Kiba. She blushed and thought, "What am I doing? He's a wolf! Not a human!" She sighed and looked back at her book. She turned the page and saw a picture of a man and a wolf. Yet… half of the face and part of the chest was human, and the other belonged to the wolf. The caption read:

"And so… the bond between man and wolf is gone. And even though we have thought of wolves to be 'Messengers of Death' that is what we have become. We have delivered the message, of not only death, but also extinction to an entire species that we once looked to for survival. We are the true messengers of death. Not the wolf. So is it not us, humans, who deserve to be wiped from the planet?"

Nikki looked up from the book and brought her eyes to a stop on the couch. Instead of the man, Kiba, there laid the snow-white wolf. Niki smiled and closed her book. She got to her feet and walked over to the couch. She then sat down and began to stroke the white fur of the creature that was thought to be extinct. But here it was. Right in front of her. She could easily tell the nobles about this animal and be paid a lot of money but, for some strange reason, Nikki felt a bond between Kiba and herself. Like she had known him her entire life. This feeling was the reason why she would never tell anyone about Kiba. And as her fingers dragged across his fur she made a promise to him as well as herself. She would never tell anyone about the wolf. Never would Kiba be found out. Never!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: First Night

Kiba opened his eyes sleepily. He was shocked at first of where he was but then remembered that he was at Nikki's house. She was sitting in a corner of the room reading another book. Kiba had no idea what it said but there was a picture of a wolf on the cover. He hoped it wasn't one of those "How to care for…" books. He tried to get up but flopped back on the couch, remembering his wounds and their painful sting.

Nikki jerked her head up. "Kiba, are you okay?" She asked. Nikki put down her book and walked over to him concern twinkling in her soft brown eyes. She kneeled down beside the couch so her face was level with Kiba's. He looked at her and their eyes met for a brief second before Nikki turned away blushing. "Do you need more medicine?" She walked over to her duffle bag to get some more gauze.

"No, I'm fine," Kiba answered.

Nikki looked at him unsurely. "Well, I have to change your bandages anyway," she said.

Kiba gazed at her as she bent down to pick out the medicine. "She has the most beautiful figure," he thought to himself. "The way she looks is… indescribable."

Nikki stood up and Kiba quickly looked away. She came up to the couch and began to remove the old bandages. Kiba winced a little but didn't speak. Once all the bandages had been removed she uncapped the antibiotic cream's top. She put some in her hand and began to rub it all over his wounds. Kiba didn't wince but he loved her touch. Her hands were soft and gentle not firm or mean at all.

Nikki then wiped her hands on a towel. She unwrapped the new bandage and began to cover the wounds. "Are you hungry?" She asked.

Kiba did not look at her. He answered simply, "No." Nikki was hungry, however. That was why she had asked. Her stomach growled, giving her away. A small smile appeared on Kiba's face. "But you are," he laughed.

Nikki blushed a bit with embarrassment. "I-I can live," she muttered. Kiba looked at her and noticed the obvious red tint in her cheeks.

"You can go on and eat that meat in your bag," he said quietly.

Nikki's head shot up. "Oh no! That's for you," she explained. "I've got an apple."

Kiba looked at her. "I already told you that I'm not hungry."

"Well that doesn't mean that you won't be later."

Kiba did not respond. He was gazing out the window. The sun was just beginning to set. "Have I been sleeping all day?" He thought to himself.

Nikki, satisfied with her work, walked over to her bag. She unzipped one of the side pockets and took out an apple. She sat down with her back against the wall of the house. She took a large bite out of the fruit and picked up her book. Flipping to the page with the bookmark in it, she began to read.

Kiba's eyes wandered around the room. Stopping every now and then to look at the pictures of the two young teenage girls. He knew that Nikki was one of them but who was the other girl? He gazed at Nikki. "Why do I feel so nervous around her?" he thought.

As if knowing someone was staring at her, Nikki looked up from the book. For a split second Kiba and her eyes met. Then Kiba quickly turned away. Nikki smiled at him and continued to read her book.

After about ten minutes Kiba asked, "What are you reading?"

Nikki looked at him. "Oh, it's an awesome book called _The Call of the Wild. _And it's really interesting," she answered.

Kiba turned to look at the book. It looked like Nikki was almost done with it. He looked away. Nikki smiled. She then, once again dove into the book. She had never liked watching tv or playing on the computer. Books and music were the only things she liked. She could lose herself in a good book and she especially loved to read about animals. Her mother, being an animal loving vet, had a complete library of books in the basement. Nikki would often go down there and pick out a book and read it. The last time she counted her mother had 497 books. Nikki had gone through at least 300 of them. She loved books and she was a pretty fast reader.

Kiba let out a sigh and looked at the pictures again. He finally got enough courage to ask Nikki, "Who's that girl?"

Nikki brought her head up again. She looked at where Kiba was pointing. Nikki got to her feet and set the book down. She walked over to the picture of Emily and her on their horses. They were smiling and laughing. Nikki could still hear Emily's jokes and kind, warm voice. She could see her blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her friendly smile and freckled face.

Nikki turned back towards Kiba. "She was my best friend, Emily Lueck," she said softly.

"Was?" Kiba questioned. "What happened? Did you two get in a fight and split up?"

Nikki shook her head sadly. "No, she was killed in a car accident about a year ago."

"I'm sorry," Kiba said feeling guilty for bringing up painful memories.

Nikki smiled at him. "Oh don't be. I don't need pity from anyone, she probably likes it in heaven anyway," she said quietly. "We would talk about everything. Our future, the boys we liked, music, books, and sometimes we would even chat about our past, like when we were five or six. That's when we first met, in kindergarten."

Kiba looked at Nikki. Her eyes were turning red but she shook her head violently, trying to keep the tears away. She stopped and allowed a lone tear to roll down her cheek but that was all that came. She then turned her attention to Kiba. "Well, I'm going to go and check on Midnight Sky. I'll be right back. Okay?"

Kiba nodded and watched as she walked out the door. After a few minutes she returned, a bridle in her hand. "Don't you need to tie up your horse with that?" Kiba asked.

"No, not Midnight Sky. She's free to gallop around but I know that she won't do that at night and even if she did she'd come back," Nikki answered setting the bridle down. She then closed the door with her foot and walked back over to her spot in the corner. She sat down and picked up her book again.

Kiba began to think about Tsume, Hige, Toboe, and Cheza. "I wonder if they're okay. I hope Darcia hasn't hurt Cheza. If he touches her once I'll kill him," he thought to himself.

An hour went by. The sun had completely set and the moon had come out. The only light came from Nikki's flashlight (which she had turned on as soon as the sun had gone down). Kiba wanted so badly to run out into the moonlight and howl to his pack. He wanted to make sure they were okay but his wounds held him where he was. The moonlight crept into the small house through the window and fell upon Nikki. It was then that Kiba noticed how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. Her bright blue streaks in her hair shone brightly with the light. Kiba gulped a bit and felt ashamed for staring at her but he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

The flashlight Nikki was holding flickered a bit and then went out as the batteries died. Nikki glared at it and cursed silently. She had forgotten to bring extra batteries so she would have to wait until morning came to finish her book. She put the book and flashlight away. It was then that she noticed Kiba's blue eyes were staring at her. Nikki blushed badly. "How long as he been staring at me?" She thought.

Kiba noticed how she had looked at him questioningly and he felt ashamed of himself for staring at her. He turned away and looked at the ceiling. Nikki was smiling and still blushing. She reached into her duffle bag and took out a blanket and a pillow. Nikki then walked over to Kiba and gently put the blanket over him.

"Lift your head up," she demanded quietly.

Kiba looked at the blanket and then at Nikki. "But you need this, I don't," he replied.

"No, you're hurt," Nikki retorted. "Lift up your head please."

Kiba did not raise his head. He stared at her in confusion. "I already told you that I don't need this," he protested.

"You know that I'm very stubborn," Nikki said smiling.

"I am too."

Nikki shrugged and walked over to the other side of the house. She lay down and rested her head on the pillow. After the long, hard day Nikki had had she fell asleep almost instantly.

Kiba looked at her and grinned. He got to his feet, finding that the moonlight had healed him up pretty well along with Nikki's care. Kiba took off the blanket and set it on the couch. He walked over to Nikki and very gently picked her up, careful not to awaken her. His nose caught her wonderful scent. He felt his heart skip a beat. "She smells like Lunar Flowers," he gasped. He looked at her with care in his eyes. "Why do you, a human, make me feel like this?" He asked her, knowing that she wouldn't answer.

Nikki moaned in her sleep and snuggled her head against Kiba's bandaged chest. He smiled and carried her to the couch. He gently laid her down and covered her up with the blanket. He then walked back to where she had fallen asleep and picked up the pillow. Walking back to her, he lifted Nikki's head and slipped the pillow underneath it. Nikki groaned and turned to lie on her side, facing Kiba. He grinned at her and walked back to the moonlit corner of the house. He lay down in the light of the moon. He gazed at Nikki and wondered why she smelt like Lunar Flowers. He shrugged it off and fell asleep.

That night, Nikki dreamed that she and Emily were back together once again. They were both smiling and laughing. They had ice cream cones in their hands and the friendship bracelets sparkled brightly on both of their hands. Nikki turned to look at her friend. Emily said something but Nikki could not hear it. Then Emily got into her car. After that the dream was more like a nightmare. Nikki saw the other car slam into Emily's car. She saw the police and firemen rush to the scene and she heard the roar of an ambulance siren as it whizzed past her. The men were trying frantically to get Emily out. They finally got her out and handed her to a paramedic. After examining her body he shook his head sadly and covered Emily's body with a white sheet. Then everything disappeared and Nikki was surrounded by darkness.

Nikki's eyes snapped open. She noticed that Kiba was standing over her. He had a very worried look on his face. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Nikki sat up and noticed that she was crying. She looked at Kiba and suddenly flew her arms around him. Kiba was shocked and confused at first but he allowed her to cling to his white fur. She buried her face into his fur and cried. After a few minutes Nikki stopped crying and fell back asleep. Kiba, still in wolf form, lay down next to her on the couch, his tail wagging every now and then. He remembered what had awoken him. Nikki was screaming "Emily" in her sleep. He had gone over to see how she was doing when she awoke and now he was sleeping beside her. After a couple minutes Nikki wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her. Kiba smiled and allowed her to stroke his fur in her sleep.

All the rest of the night Kiba stayed awake. Just in case Nikki had another nightmare. Even though he didn't realize it, he was her protector all that night. He felt glad to be in her arms and he was delighted to breathe in her flower scent. "She smells like Cheza," he thought to himself. "Only her scent makes me feel so odd. I feel like my stomach is churning inside my body. I can't describe it. Whatever this human is doing to me… I like it. And I want this scent to be with me forever."

_Author's Note: I am soooooo sorry for the delay! I totally forgot about this fiction and I'm all "Hm... I should work on that." And I got a review update and I'm like "Oh my goodness!" Soooooo yeah. Hope you all have a happy, happy Thanksgiving. Eat this up and leave room for Chapter 5! I'm open for suggestions and you can also gimme an email. I wouldn't mind. I responde to most of my mail so dont worry. Well, hope you lap this chapter right up. Byez all! -skips away whistling as she holds Kiba's hand-_


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to __Anarya-Isilya-Elenya __for the great comment on my writing. It was really great. Thank you Another thanks to __Jay FicLover_. _Who I wish good luck to on her own fiction. Thank you all for reviewing and being such great readers. You're the best! I also want to say, if you want me to read one of your fictions, please tell me. I'll be sure to do so. Now onto the story! I hope you like Chapter 5 and I promise to get Chapter 6 up before Christmas!_

**Chapter 5**

**Stay**

Nikki groaned and opened her eyes. The first rays of light were jetting through the window as she rubbed the sleep from her tired eyes. She yawned and stretched her arms out. Suddenly she stopped. Her fingers brushed across something warm. She blinked and looked down to find an arm wrapped around her. Immediately, her face turned red as she remembered Kiba and the day before. Nikki turned around slowly to find the wolf sleeping soundly beside her. Only it wasn't a wolf she found, but a man!

"GET OFF!"

Kiba was awoken with a start as he tumbled off the couch and onto the floor. He groaned and opened his icy blue eyes. Rubbing his head he muttered, "Ouch. You didn't have to throw me to the floor." He had fallen asleep and dropped his guard; it was no wonder she panicked.

Nikki was confused. She had no memory of the night, or of her dream. She was completely clueless to why Kiba had been sleeping beside her. For all she could guess he was being a pervert. She sighed, for some reason she couldn't bring herself to scold him. He was just so cute to her. She was blushing furiously now, the thought she had just had not helping conceal the crimson color within her cheeks. "It's ok, I shouldn't have acted like that," Nikki sighed again as she ran her fingers through her messy hair, trying without success to straighten it.

Now Kiba understood. She had forgotten everything. The dream, his company… It had all disappeared when she had fallen back asleep. He decided not to remind her of what had happened, even if it did make him seem like a pervert. Thinking quickly Kiba replied, "You were shivering last night. I simply wanted to warm you."

Nikki knew he wasn't telling her the truth. When she looked into his eyes, she knew he was keeping something from her. She decided not to pry about it. _"Maybe he isn't hiding anything and is telling the truth. It'd be rude of me to just convict him of something he probably didn't do,"_ Nikki thought. She smiled as she added quietly to herself, _"He's too nice to do that."_

Kiba decided to change the subject. He was beginning to feel very hungry. He was still confused to why he had been shot. He could only remember guns, huge planes, Hige, Tsume, Toboe, Blue, Cheza, they were all running. From what? His head spun as he tried desperately to remember. Why had he been separated from them? Were they still alive? Had Darcia captured Cheza? It was all too overwhelming. He ran his fingers through his brown hair and turned his gaze out the window. There was a bird singing upon the windowsill. A cardinal it looked like. Kiba watched the bird sing loudly.

His attention was diverted when Nikki stood up from the couch. She straightened out her shirt and adjusted her shorts. Once she was finished and felt comfortable once again, she walked to the window and held out her hand. The little red bird sang a high note. To Kiba's amazement, the cardinal jumped from the windowpane and landed on Nikki's finger. He hadn't noticed that there wasn't any glass left in the window, also he was a bit shocked that Nikki could coax such a shy bird right onto her finger. The small bird began to sing as if it were giving a worldwide solo. Kiba stared in wonder as Nikki let the bird hop onto her shoulder, hardly flinching as it gripped onto her skin with its tiny claws.

"How did you do that?" Kiba asked, clearly amazed at Nikki's accomplishment.

She turned towards him and giggled softly. The laugh touched Kiba's ears, making his eyes shimmer in the warmth of the sound. Her voice came to him like a warm spring breeze, melting away the bitter winds of winter. "I don't know. I have a way with animals I guess." Nikki smiled and nuzzled the little bird, the feathers glided over her pale flawless features.

Kiba smiled at her. She was so nice to him. She was unlike any human he had met. Nikki was kind, sweet, gentle, caring, protective, and strong. All those traits he thought only existed in wolves and wolves alone. She couldn't be a wolf though. _"She's human, no doubt about it. Then why in the world does she smell like lunar flowers and seem like a wolf? It's so hard to believe she's a human."_

Nikki suddenly turned her head to face Kiba. For a moment their eyes met. Kiba's blue pools swam in her gentle brown orbs. They locked for what seemed to each other an eternity. Then, quite reluctantly, Kiba turned his head away and gazed at one of the pictures hanging from the wall. This one was of Emily and Nikki swimming in the lake. The lake! Kiba's mind felt like he had just found a cure for the common cold. _"There was a lake! When we were being chased we had to swim across the lake. That's it!"_ He was trembling with anticipation and excitement. This may be the clue he needed to find the others.

Kiba was about to get to his feet and run out the door, when he heard Nikki giggle again. He froze and slowly his eyes came back to her. The bird was now perched upon her head, playing with one of the blue strands of hair. Nikki was laughing happily, trying to get the bird off of her scalp but to no avail. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at the bird comically. "You just love to tease me like this don't you?" She said with a smile and a warm laugh.

Kiba suddenly felt drawn to her. He couldn't move his limbs. He could scarcely breathe. Did he want to leave Nikki? _"What if I'm wrong? What if I have the wrong lake?"_ Kiba looked down at his hands. He was never quite used to seeing fingers, it was always paws he had been used to. Kiba's hair fell over his eyes, cloaking the troubled sparkle in his orbs.

Just then, Kiba felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around to face Nikki standing over him. She had a warm, tender look upon her face as she kneeled down to look him in the eye. Kiba felt his ears burn as he stared at her face. He wanted to pull away. He wanted to move, he wanted to look at something other than her. Unfortunately, his body disobeyed his desires and merely stood still as Nikki spoke. "Hey what's wrong? You seem so quiet."

Kiba had only been there for barely 24-hours, yet he felt like he had known Nikki forever. He suddenly felt very protective of her, and now looked at the bird, still propped upon Nikki's shoulder, in nothing but envy. He nodded his head, taking in her question… finally. He answered quietly, "I was just thinking of my friends. That's all."

His reply made Nikki get struck with a heavy pain of guilt. _"I'm keeping him from his pack. I'm treating him like a pet."_ Nikki sat down next to Kiba and gently shooed the bird away. The little cardinal gave a soft tweet before flying back out the window. Nikki turned to look at Kiba and then she gazed down at the floorboards. "You don't have to stay here, you know." Kiba gasped a bit and turned his head to face her as Nikki continued. "If you want to leave, you can."

Kiba was taken aback. Was that the impression he had given her? He didn't mean to. It wasn't his intention. Kiba was suddenly torn between two desires. He wanted to go find the others, he wanted to so badly, yet… Kiba looked at Nikki. Her blue-streaked hair, her gentle brown eyes, her delicate skin, her scent of lunar flowers. Could he really leave her? He suddenly didn't want to leave. He didn't want to be away from her. Kiba had barely known her yet he could trust her with his life. She was the greatest human Kiba had met. He wanted to be with her.

Nikki had been hurt by her own words. How could she say such a thing? She would have been very wounded inside if Kiba had left. He was starting to become her friend. She felt like she could rely on him. Kiba was the closest thing to a friend she'd had in long while. She could talk to him and he wouldn't make fun of her. She didn't want to lose him. It tore her apart. She didn't know why, but she felt like she needed to be with Kiba. Like an instinct that she never knew but now surfaced. She felt comfortable around him. She'd be very hurt if he left.

"No…"

Nikki looked at him in surprise and shock. He didn't want to leave? Or had she heard wrong? "What did you say?" She asked, her voice quivering in disbelief.

Kiba smiled a bit and turned back to her. Their eyes caught and for a moment, they both were hit with a strange desire. Kiba leaned closer to her, causing Nikki to blush a bit. "No. I don't want to leave. I don't think I'm completely ready to travel. A… And my friends might not even be alive." His voice was a little hurt but he wanted to stay beside her.

Nikki's eyes began to water. Not because she had allergies or anything, she was just touched that Kiba wanted to be with her. She quickly turned her eyes away so he wouldn't spot the tears that were clearly within her soft hazel orbs. Nikki smiled a bit, unable to hide it. She turned to Kiba again and nodded. Then she stood up and stretched, her shirt revealing a scarred belly. Kiba had to look closely to see the scars, but after awhile he could clearly see them. Nikki relaxed and her shirt fell back over her scratched abdomen. "Well, I guess I'd better go check on Midnight Sky." She began to walk out the door before she stopped and looked at Kiba. A warm smile spread upon her face. "Thank you, Kiba." Kiba felt a warm sensation in his stomach. He nodded, beginning to blush. Nikki giggled a bit before going out the door to check on her mare.

Kiba's eyes followed her as she departed. He wanted to join her so badly but he thought he'd look foolish if he was near her 24/7. He was staring at the photos of Nikki and Emily, studying each scenery in the background when he heard it. A shrill scream. Fear gripped Kiba's heart as he raced outside. "Nikki what's wro…" His voice trailed off as he saw Nikki pinned under a silver colored wolf. A large X scar was upon its chest.

"Tsume!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Meet the Pack**

"Tsume!"

Nikki was trembling fiercely as the wolf's jaws were right above her; ivory fangs glistened as it snarled. She couldn't move she was so scared. She thought for surely she'd die under the beast. Then, Kiba's voice came to her ears and she felt reassured. _"He'll get me out of this. Wont he?"_ She thought, shaking in fear.

A white blur came from the corner of her eye as Kiba's form slammed into the other wolf's. The two canines tumbled upon the ground, going head-over-paws. Nikki gasped, now afraid Kiba was injured, or about to be. She stood up and ran at the two wolves. They stood, eyeing each other as if they were about to clash. Kiba's ivory plume was now standing on end. His fangs shown brightly from his curled lips as he snapped his jaws in the air. The gray wolf snapped back and growled lowly. Kiba suddenly jumped in front of Nikki and gave the other wolf a ferocious look.

Surprisingly, the silver canine blinked and lowered its lip over its fangs. He was still tensed to spring. However, his face held utter confusion. Then the wolf spoke, a harsh and cold tone that made Nikki shudder. "What the hell are you doing, half-wit!"

Kiba didn't move from Nikki. He snarled sharply, "Tsume, leave the girl alone. You had no right to attack her."

"_A… attack me!"_ Nikki's head spun. The silver wolf was going to kill her? She was now so scared she could've run all the way back home. She had never been attacked by a wild animal before. They had always respected her as she respected them. Why was this wolf so different?

"She deserved it after that bastard sire of hers shot at us!" The silver wolf's words made Nikki flinch. She would take insults about herself but her own father! Now this bruja had gone too far. Nikki was going to defend her kin whether this wolf said so or not.

Nikki's voice made the wolf jump a bit. "You don't have to insult my pa! He was only protecting our livestock!"

Kiba didn't remove his eyes from Tsume. Though his ear flicked and he snorted a bit, showing his displeasure for Nikki's interference. _"Now Tsume's really going to have a cow,"_ Kiba thought with a sigh. He couldn't make Nikki take back her words, and she did have a right to defend her father. Tsume was the one who attacked her, it was no wonder she'd be angry with him.

"Your livestock can burn in hell for all I care. Along with you and the rest of those damn humans!"

Now he had gone too far. Even Kiba was upset. The ivory wolf snarled threateningly and lunged at the silver wolf. Caught off guard from the sudden assault, Tsume couldn't react in time and thus was pinned beneath Kiba's heavy mass. Kiba's jaws were inches from the silver brute's throat. "Don't you dare insult her!"

Tsume was now taken aback immensely. Kiba was defending a human? Had he missed something? Tsume wasn't about to let Kiba push him around. He used his hind legs to kick the white wolf off of him. Kiba grunted in surprise and quickly landed upon his feet. He snapped at Tsume and bared his fangs.

"Hey, calm down!"

Another wolf came out of the bushes, making Nikki jump in surprise. She tripped over a rock and fell back. A pair of arms caught her and picked her up. She blinked and suddenly blushed as she felt a hand groping her bottom. With an angry swing Nikki smacked the stranger.

Kiba didn't look away from Tsume as he addressed the perverted wolf. "Hige, put Nikki down before she kicks your ass."

Hige groaned and set her down, rubbing a very red hand mark upon his cheek. Nikki was making her way to Kiba when she ran into another figure. She fell to the ground and shook her head. Opening her eyes she came face-to-face with a reddish-colored wolf. His tail was wagging and he had a friendly smile on his face. He was acting like a pup. "Hi there! I'm Toboe! What's your name?"

Nikki blinked in reply. She couldn't find the strength to move her jaw. Kiba began to back away from Tsume as he came towards Nikki. He shifted back to his human form and held out his hand to her. She grasped it gently and was pulled to her feet. Dusting off her shorts, Nikki glanced around at three new wolves. The silver one's name was Tsume. She understood that much. The one that had groped her was Hige. And the friendly one was named Toboe.

Kiba took a deep breath before saying, "Nikki this is my pack." He pointed to each of the wolves, naming them off and giving descriptions of each one. "The ass over there is Tsume…" Tsume snorted and turned into his human form. He wore very tight leather that exposed his muscular arms and stomach. His hair was white and shaven as if he was in the army. He had the total bad boy look all completed with the scar that shone across his bare chest. "That's Hige, the perv," Kiba continued as he pointed to a shaggy haired man, wearing a bright yellow sweater and baggy jeans. He was a little heavy-set and, despite the letch behavior, he was charming. "And that's Toboe, the youngest and most uh… 'playful' member." Toboe barked loudly and began to laugh as he too turned into his human form. He had long brown hair, wore green pants complete with a pair of boots, and had a soft red shirt on.

Nikki nodded to each of them. Only Tsume didn't respond but merely looked away. Kiba suddenly gasped beside Nikki. He looked around before asking, "Where's Cheza and Blue? Weren't they with you all?"

His question put saddened looks on each of the wolves' faces. Even Tsume's eyes shimmered in pain. Kiba was staring at them, piercing them with interrogating glares. Finally, Tsume spoke up. His voice held the presence of bad news. "Darcia came as soon as we lost you. He scooped up Cheza from the ground and took her away. Blue was shot and collapsed a little while after you disappeared. We turned back to find her after the nobles left but there was no trace of her."

Hige's eyes shimmered with pain. He looked down and let his hair cover the hurt in his eyes. Nikki noticed it and felt bad for the wolf. _"Maybe that other wolf was his mate or something. After all, wolves to mate for life…"_ She thought. She wanted to comfort him but Tsume's snarl made her freeze.

"And look where we find you. In this human dump, with human reek all over you, and with a human whore!"

Nikki gasped, revealing her hurt to what Tsume accused her of. Kiba noticed the noise and began to growl ferociously at Tsume. "Don't you dare call her that, Tsume! And it wasn't my fault I left. I have no idea how I even got here!"

Tsume snarled, "Well excuse me but we could've really used your help!"

Kiba retorted, "It wasn't like I could do anything if I was knocked out!"

"Well because of you Cheza is gone and Blue is probably dead!"

Kiba looked down at his paws. He suddenly felt guilty that he hadn't been there to save the flower maiden and his fellow pack member. He turned back to Nikki and his eyes told her how hurt he was. She seemed to understand and stood between Kiba and the enraged Tsume.

"Who do you think you are accusing Kiba like that? If it had been you, you probably couldn't have done anything about it in the first place!" Tsume was about to defend himself when Nikki stormed closer and glared him right in the eye. "You are nothing but a coward if you ask me! Pinning bad fate on someone who did all he could to prevent it. You are nothing but scum in my eyes."

Tsume's jaw had dropped with her accusations. He was staring at her in disbelief. This girl had guts, and plenty of them to speak to him like that. Tsume's shocked expression turned to a glare as he thought, _"I'm not letting this human witch push me around!"_ He snapped and stared right into her eyes. "I don't give a damn what I am in your worthless eyes. He's a wolf, not a human. He could get back up if he felt like it!"

Nikki's eyes were filling with tears. _"Worthless…"_ She suddenly swung her hand and struck Tsume right across the face. Hige and Toboe winced and gasped at the same time. Kiba's eyes widened in surprise but he made no noise or movement. Tsume was now completely startled. The girl had smacked him!

"_Pretty damn hard too,"_ he admitted silently to himself as he rubbed his cheek. For what seemed like an eternity, Nikki and Tsume just stared at one another. Then Nikki turned and walked back to Kiba's side. He looked down at her, spotting the tear crawling down her cheek. He glared at Tsume for hurting her feelings. He had no right to make Nikki cry. He put his hand on her cheek and wiped away her tear. She smiled a bit but then turned back to the playhouse.

Nikki spoke softly as she walked towards the shelter, "You can go, Kiba. Your pack's here now. It would be foolish for you to stay." She vanished into the house without glancing at him.

Kiba stared at the house in shock. Her words had hurt him deeply. He wanted to be with her. He didn't want to leave yet… _"She's right, staying here would be foolish. But I… How can I leave her?"_ He clenched his hands into fists as he shifted into his wolf form. He turned to the others, in this form his eyes revealing nothing of how hurt he was. He spoke strongly, though he was incredibly wounded at the thought of leaving Nikki. "Let's go. There's nothing for us here anymore."

The other wolves nodded as they turned towards the woods to begin their departure. Kiba stopped and looked at the playhouse. His tail hung lowly as his ears pinned down. He didn't want to leave her. _"Nikki…"_ He turned and began to trot away, his white plume bouncing a bit. He stopped when he heard something: the sound of crying. He turned and glanced back at the house. He had made his decision. Nikki was hurting so much, and Kiba was so reluctant to leave, he wasn't going to leave her. He turned back to his pack and said sternly, "Go ahead. There's something I need to take care of."

Without giving the others a second to protest, he was gone. Kiba began to run not towards the playhouse but to the deeper parts of the woods. He sniffed the ground and caught the scent he was looking for. Taking off as fast as his paws would carry him, he came closer and closer to the creature he was tracking.

Meanwhile, Nikki was in the small house. Her eyes filled with tears as she turned over on her side. She began to break down in unstoppable tears. Her face was buried deep into a pillow as she sobbed. _"I lost Emily and Kiba. Why am I crying? He's back where he belongs but I… I…"_ Nikki gasped as she raised her head from the pillow. "Did I… Did I fall in love with him?"

"Fall in love with who?"

Nikki screamed in surprise and spun around to face Kiba standing in the entrance of the house. He had Midnight Sky next to him. "You lost this in the woods." He explained with a smile. It faded when he saw how red and puffy her eyes were. Kiba stepped into the house and kneeled down next to Nikki, his hand wiping away her tears. "What's wrong?"

Nikki was shocked to see Kiba again. She thought he was lost forever. She had only known him for a day but already she felt so linked to him. She didn't ever want to loose Kiba. It hurt her so badly when he had gone. "I'm fine," Nikki lied. She blushed at Kiba's touch on her cheek.

Kiba smiled and slowly rose. "I'm going to stay. The pack isn't ready to travel quite yet."

Nikki's eyes shimmered in glee. _"He's not leaving! Oh Kiba, thank you.."_ She stood up and wiped away her tears as best she could. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Nikki's face lit up as she hugged Kiba tightly. He blushed a bright red before wrapping his arms around her and hugging her back, his head resting upon hers gently. Nikki pulled away from him, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks a bright crimson color. "I'm glad you're not. I have to show you something." Nikki grasped his hand in hers and began to walk out the door, leaving Kiba a little dumbfounded as he followed her to a destination he did not know.

Kiba glanced down at Nikki and blushed as he thought, _"Do I… Do I like her?"_ With that question still in his mind, he followed Nikki to wherever she was taking him.

_Author's Note: As promised here's Chapter 6! I know, it's a bit delayed but my family and I went Christmas shopping yesterday so I didn't have a chance to work on it then. I'm happy I kinda met my deadline. In honor of Christmas, I made this chapter a bit more romantic at the end, for all you fangirls (like me) who wish you were Nikki (like me) eat your heart out! Kiba's a babe. I luvers him so I enjoyed writing this chapter. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!_


	7. URGENT! PLEASE READ!

**ATTENTION!**

Due to busyness and all that jazz, I will be unable to post at Aaaaaand, my computer crashed so I can no longer get to the Internet. Oddly, I can still access my email. If anyone wants the updated chapters of True Life Mates, please, please do not be afraid to contact me and request a chapter. Same goes for my story Kitsune Love. My email is no longer what my profile says,I've changed it and am never on that hotmail address anymore. My NEW email is: ultrasonickitty hotmail . com (without all the spaces in there and there's an underscore between ultrasonic and kitty, and of course the 'at' sign before hotmail)I am terribly sorry for this inconvenience. I have no way of getting onto my account from my home computer (I'm using a friend's) and I do not want my readers to be left hanging. So please do not be afraid to email me and request updated chapters. I'll be on frequently. Thanks so much! Sorry again!

.Kim.


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